There's Gotta Be More To Life
by StuckOnYou93
Summary: It's been a year, and Sam's guilt has finally caught up with him. For the most part, things have stayed the same, but Jo hasn't. She has a secret that is getting more powerful by the second. What happens when she breaks? spoilers up to BUABS
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Two brothers were sitting in the front of a large black impala. Badly scarred and clearly newly recovered from an accident, the taller one decided to break the silence.

"Dean, where are we?"

"What do you mean, Sam? You've got the map." Sam blushed as he realized he was in fact, holding the map. After perusing the map for a second, he realized that they were in Minnesota. Not too far from Duluth, in fact. Duluth . . .

"Dean, we need to take a pit stop. Take a rest for a week, heal our wounds. That wendigo was a hellion."

"Sam, we already have a case. It would make no sense to make a stop here," said Dean, trying to reason with his brother.

"I've got someone I have to see," replied Sam, knowing that Dean would never agree if he told him too much.

"Who the hell would you have to see in Minnesota?"

"An old friend."

"I'm gonna need more than that, Sammy." Grudgingly, all Sam said was "Jo" before Dean cut him off.

"No way in hell, Sam," was all he said, looking straight ahead at the road.

"Dean, I need to see her and explain what happened."

"I already told you, she knew you were possessed, she wouldn't hold something that was out of your control against you."

"How would you know Dean?"

"I just know, she's not that kind of girl."

"Oh please, Dean. The only thing you know about her is that her father is dead by our father's gun and she does a good job patching up a bullet wound. It would only take one night, then we could leave. You don't even need to come in. I need to do this, Dean, at least I'll know that she's alright," he pleaded and combined with the puppy dog eyes, Dean didn't stand a chance.

"Fine."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When the boys reached Duluth, it was 9:30 at night, and in about ten minutes they had reached the bar where Jo worked.

"I'm gonna go in, Dean, are you coming?" All he got in response was the thud of a forehead hitting the steering wheel and the slam of a car door.

When they reached the bar door, the sign said closed, but the light was on inside, and besides, since when did a Winchester actually do what normal people did? Within twenty seconds the lock was undone and the clomp of heavy boots echoed in the empty bar.

From the back, someone muttered, "I could've sworn I locked the door" followed by a yell of "We're closed!" A familiar blonde ventured out from the back and looked like a deer caught in headlights as she gaped at the all too familiar men standing in front of her.

"How about a beer for old friends?" Jo visibly flinched at the phrase that rang in her nightmares. But the flashback was over as soon as it started, and her guard was back up.

"Sure" she said warily, and grabbed two beers from the back and handed them to the Winchesters, but not before filling them with a heavy dose of holy water. "So what do you boys want?" she said in a distant tone, as she stepped a good three yards away from the pair. Unsure of what to say to them, the threesome simply stared at each other. In order to avoid uncomfortable eye contact with the stand offish blonde, he took a swig of his beer before spitting it out in disgust.

"What the hell, Jo?" The girl visibly relaxed as the Dean sputtered in front of her. Moving from Dean to Sam, all she said was "You too" gesturing to the beer. Sam followed orders and took a sip, only to follow Dean's actions of spitting on the dirty bar floor. Jo nodded approvingly.

"No smoke," she turned their wrists, "no bonding marks." Jo stated a line in Latin before all the tension in her body relaxed. "Now, really, what the hell are you two morons doing here?" 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 "Seriously, Jo, was that necessary?" Dean stated, wiping his mouth of any befouled beer.

"Well, since the last Winchester to come into this bar hit on me, knocked me out on a bar, tied me to a goddamn pole, and held a knife to my neck, I decided not to take my chances again. Don't worry, you're not that special, I do that to all the beers hear before handing 'em out. Maybe not in such generous doses, but I don't plan on being caught off guard again," she stated with a rye smile. Dean nodded begrudgingly, realizing that this wasn't the same girl who'd patched up his shoulder with a sarcastic comment and painkillers as she quickly grabbed them two new beers from under the counter.

"Actually, Jo, that's why we're here. I wanted to make sure that you were okay. I really am sorry about that, but I was possessed; I had no control, in the literal sense." She turned to give Sam a small smile.

"I know. What happened after Dean left anyways?" she asked curiously. "I asked your dumbass of a brother to call me, just so I would know that you were okay but apparently he's been too busy to dial my number."

Sam started the story, but not before sending a hard glare that very clearly stated 'What the hell?' in Dean's direction. The older brother simply shrugged his shoulders in response, and took a moment to take in what he had not been able to see with the near toxic beer in his mouth. She had grown leaner from her already stick thin figure, but was now muscled instead of anorexic skinny. Everything had gotten leaner, tighter, stronger, and he had noticed that his favorite part of her body had gotten eve n better when she leaned over to grab the new beers. Her blonde hair had been chopped up to the shoulder, giving her a more mature look which definitely seemed to suit her, considering the intense brown eyes that watched Sam as he described the story that led to her attack. But something seemed to be missing from those eyes, and he noticed it was that spark of excitement that had always graced them. At least, before Sam Winchester entered the bar that night. Overall, Dean definitely approved, but with the change he assumed she had been hunting. Hadn't she learned that she wasn't cut out for this? She still had a chance to get out, he thought dejectedly, as he realized his opportunity had long passed him by.

"And that's what happened" was the statement that reached his ears as Sam finished his story. Jo nodded in understanding, still not losing the intensity she had in her eyes.

"So Jo," Dean spoke up for the first time, breaking the silence. "You've been hunting?" he stated, questioning her with his eyes. She turned to him before answering. "Yeah," she said, a small smile graced her lips as Dean frowned. "Not like you guys, though." His scowl deepened. There wasn't more than one way to hunt. "I go on a hunt, maybe once a month, and then I come back and relax. I also keep some extra files in the back for hunters who pass through and do more research than actual hunting. After you left, though, I found a guy willing to train me and did that for about six months before he decided I was ready." She looked uneasy for a second, before continuing. "I discovered that I had a medical condition that was brought up by the attack, but even though I can't hunt 24/7, I do what I can." She smiled at them, reminiscing over memories of the past, ones she didn't want to forget, but when her mind drifted to the event that started it all she winced before blinking and continuing. She gave them a small smirk, which left both boys puzzled.

"Look boys, I know I'm a pretty picture to look at, but there's no need to stare. And believe it or not, I do actually have to close up the bar, which means I have to kick you out." She bit her lip to keep from bursting out laughing at Sam and Dean's actions as the realized they had been staring at her. Her smirk grew wider as they both blushed a light red. As Dean willed his blush away, Sam fully absorbed what she had said and stood straight up.

"What's wrong with you, Jo?" 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 "What do you mean, Sam?" Now it was her turn to look puzzled.

"You said you got a medical condition from the attack, what is it?" he demanded in a slightly louder tone. The noise instantly put Jo on a defensive and she stepped back instinctively.

"It's not important, Sam. But really, it's time that you go." She replied, a little nervous about the wild look in Sam▒s eyes. Dean looked at Sam, a little worried but was alert enough to be ready if he got violent. He would beat his brother to a bloody pulp if he hurt her, Jo didn't deserve to go through this again.

"What is it, Jo?" he stepped forward in a threatening tone. Dean wanted to give Sam a chance to regain control and prove that he wasn't the same guy that came to Duluth possessed but he was a little worried that Sam couldn't handle it. He watched as Jo recoiled slightly against the bar, and Sam suddenly lunged for her before Dean could get in the way.

"Tell me what it is, Jo!" he yelled in her face as he violently shook her shoulders.

"Sam, let me go! NOW!" was all she managed to yell at him before Dean tackled his brother to the floor and started to punch him in the face. As Jo watched in horror, she felt her knees turn to jelly and gripped the bar before she fell to the floor.

"Shit" was all she muttered as she used the bar as a support to grope around under the counter until she found the bottle containing the tiny pink pills that kept her from the pitiful stares of the bar patrons. Her hands were shaking as she opened the bottle, but it was too late. Jo's eyes rolled back into her head as she fell to the floor. The last thing she heard before she slipped into unconsciousness was Dean's voice yelling "JO!" 


End file.
